


Do Not Go Gentle

by Aleeri



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Character Death, Drama & Romance, F/M, I Don't Even Know, I'm Bad At Tagging, Reader-Insert, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:35:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22277200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleeri/pseuds/Aleeri
Summary: You're tired, but still trying to survive. You make it through the 73rd Hunger games and begin your career as a mentor. Watching the 74th Hunger games you realize that becoming victor was the easy part.
Relationships: Cato (Hunger Games)/Reader
Kudos: 19





	Do Not Go Gentle

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Hello! Ok, so as preface sorry if this sucks, its been a while since I did any writing, but I’m so tired of like zero reader inserts involving Cato. TBH I love his character and I feel he doesn’t get enough love at times. So please bear with my small attempts at doing him (and us bc we all thirsty for some Cato) justice. 
> 
> This will be an AU bc I love Cato but I do so like Peeta and Katniss and since I’m a hopeless romantic at heart they still need to get their happily ever after or at least survival of their reaping along with our little Cato baby. Also warnings, there are allusions to rape and prostitution in this story. So, without further ado, on to the story <3!
> 
> One last thing, I do not own Hunger Games or its characters. I’m writing for my (and hopefully) your own enjoyment.

“Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!”

Famous words to finish with, known throughout all Panem no matter your social class or where you lived. Words that had propelled you through your reaping after your name was called and then dragging you on to the actual games. Bits and pieces of the lead up were blurred together in your mind. You remember smiling, waving at the crowds, learning at the survival stations, the parties and food, throwing up from fear in the dark of the night, to the explosion starting your games and then the rush of adrenaline that led you on a nightmare-fueled rush for survival. 

All of which culminated to this one moment. A bloody brick grasped in your hand, staring down at the body on the ground.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, your new victor of the 73rd Hunger Games!”

You smiled at the cameras flashing at you.

You shook hands with your sponsors and thanked them graciously.

You wake up screaming in the night. The faces of the ones you killed taunting you from your dreams.

You traveled on your victory tour, thanked the districts and the president.

You smiled until your face felt like cracking and smiled some more.

You throw up your food because the faces just would not stop in the middle of the night. 

Your mentor just nods to you in the morning, the dark circles under your eyes telling too much about what you’re going through. Another sleepless night leaves you sitting in the dining room much too early the following day.

You stare at your mentor as they sip from the flask across from you, words forming in your mind and disappearing just as quickly.

“Does, does it get easier after time,” the words fly from your mouth as you play with your fingers. 

“Kid, I would love to tell you yes it does, but that’s a joke,” your mentor laughs mirthlessly. “You’re a mentor now for all the poor saps upcoming. Every single person you killed to get where you’re at will be brought up over and over again for the pleasure of the capitol. Get used to the nightmares or get better at dealing with them.” Another drag from the flask they had in their hands before they toss it to you. 

“Drink. It helps. At least for a while it helps.” You stare at the flask in your hand, before unscrewing the top and tossing it back.  
\---  
Alcohol made it easier for a time or at least dimmed some of the memories. The stylists had already stopped by to make sure you were presentable for the cameras as they prepared for the reaping. The year had been rough and you were by no means in a good place, but you were better than you were. You had been paraded around by President Snow for a time as his newest victor and had learned about the darker side of being a victor. There were nights that you wanted to forget as much your own hunger games, but others weren’t as bad. Hell, you had even become close to some of the other victors. The common bonds you shared with them as victors and President Snows pets brought you together.

“Keep gnawing at your lips and Rica will have your hide, love,” a voice quips in your ear. A twist of your head brings emerald eyes in view and a smile to your face.

“Finnick.”

“Don’t worry, love, you’re a mentor now. Just help your poor sap as much as possible. Smile at the cameras. Whisper sweet nothings in some people’s ears and carry on as usual,” a brief flicker of something you don’t want to identify appears and disappears across his face quickly before he flashes a smile at you. His hands grasp your hands stopping them from wringing together which you hadn’t even realized you had been doing. 

“Now love, we have to go join our fellow mentors and watch the reaping, so come along.”

You let him lead you away.  
\---  
Ceasar’s voice rings through the speakers on the TV as he gives a breakdown of the tributes for that year. You tune in and out of the conversation on the screen. 

“District 1, we have Marvel and Glimmer. For district 2, we have Adrian and Clove, oh my folks, look at the size of him…”

“Typical career trash,” Johanna is muttering under her breath near you. 

A sharp-faced redhead on screen from your district catches your eyes before you look away again.

“District 8 we have…,” Caesars voice is as energetic as ever.

“How do you think your tributes will do this year,” your muscles tense like they always do when you are caught off guard as one of the capitalites gestures towards the screen with their wineglass.

You smile. It feels like broken glass.

“I don’t know. I’ll have to meet them before I could possibly make up my mind.”

They smile. It looks fake. They look fake. You’ve seen them in the dark of the night. Finnick is off to the side smiling at woman with leopard spots. Your fellow mentor is over to the side, drinking like usual.

“Are you excited to be mentoring this year?”

“Of course.”

The words roll from your lips along with the smiles. Your fingers are rubbing against the lace of your dress. You know how to play this game now. 

Always be excited for the games. Always show your support for the games or pay for it with pain from your loved ones. 

“And the biggest surprise today folks is we have a volunteer from district 12.”

Your eyes focus back on the television screen where a dark-haired girl, probably around your age flashes on the screen.  
\---  
The girl on fire is what they call her. Katniss Everdeen. Finnick gossips to you about her and her fellow tribute being star-crossed lovers. A modern-day Romeo and Juliet.  
\---  
The girl from your district is smart, you’ll give her that. Her dark-haired fellow tribute felt more like fodder. You weren’t sure if they would survive. 

You kept those thoughts yourself. You hadn’t been expected to survive either though.  
\--  
You smile at the man across the table. You were down to one tribute. The first died at the cornucopia on the very first day. The redhead though, she was smart and quick. She seemed vulpine in nature. Maybe she would make it. 

You were going to get her all the help you could get. Everyone loves an underdog.

You ignore the hand gliding along your leg and smile harder.  
\--  
“Fucking berries!” You sweep everything off the table. 

You try to save one person. Maybe it would’ve helped with the pain of being a murderer.

A vase crashes into the wall. The avox stares at you from the side. Your chest is heaving.

You failed.  
\---  
“What do you think Finnick?”

“Of what? Our star-crossed lovers from district 12?”

“Yeah.”

“It was a ploy that paid off for them, but now they are stuck playing that role.”

“But, don’t you envy them just a little? They don’t have to do the shit that we…,” your voice trails off. Your wringing your hands together again.

Finnick is staring off into the distance. 

You stay quiet, knowing that he was thinking his words carefully.

“No love, I don’t envy them. Being star-crossed lovers sounds good and all, but there are other ways they can be used. Not to mention, now they run as a two for one special.”

You couldn’t wait for the celebrations of the 74th Hunger Games to be over with. It was time to go home or at least get away from this hellhole for a while. Next year was the quarter quell. Both of you were huddled together in a darkened corner. The new victors from 12 seemed stunned. Everyone was crowding around them. Mellark was all smiles and being thankful to the girl at his side. Everdeen, you recognized the look in her eyes. You saw it every time you looked in mirror. Regret and pain.

“I can’t wait to leave, Finnick.”

He’s looking around the banquet room.

“Neither can I, love.”  
\---  
Victors Square was calm, but it’s the calm before the storm. You had heard rumors that President Snow was not happy with his new victors. Every time you had been recalled to the capitol gossip would mention the star-crossed lovers seemed more like strangers. Finnick had mentioned that even his affiliates didn’t have many details, Snow was keeping it hush hush. Every time a new video was released with them because the capitol does love a good story, Mellark and Everdeen seemed awkward with each other. The quarter quell is in a couple months. 

You were rubbing your fingers against the seam of your pants. You had only just gotten back from your visit with the capitol. 

The walk to your mentor’s house was a short one. Ten steps through the gate to the front door of their house from your house. They are laying the couch, an empty bottle of liquor off to the side. Where you had drank to forget, you hadn’t gotten caught up in it like they had. 

“It feels weird, I’m nervous. The quarter quell coming up,” you clarify after clearing one of the chairs off to sit in.

They look over at you. You can see his lips quirk up. He sits up, frowns after taking a sniff of his clothes.

“You’re a mentor kid, you can’t be reaped any more. The only consolation from surviving their little death matches.”

You’re playing with your fingers again.

“I don’t know. There was some sort of…weird…feeling at the capitol,” you can’t explain it better than that.

“Go home, kid. Go home and spend time with your mom. Don’t worry about what hasn’t happened yet.”  
\---  
The quarter quell is one month away. President Snow must have done something to Mellark and Everdeen because now talk about their upcoming nuptials is all the talk of the capitol. 

“If I have to hear one more fucking time about Katniss Everdeen’s dress I’m going to scream!”

Both Finnick and you watch Johanna pace around the room. All of you had been recalled to the capitol at the same time. None of you could go anywhere without hearing about what Katniss’s dress would look like, how her sister was going to be the flower girl, and how Mellark’s family was baking the cake for the wedding.

“They are making a big deal about the wedding preparations…”

“Yeah, they are, but have you noticed about all the stuff going down in districts.”

You glance at Finnick, you had heard that there had been an uproar just this month in district 11. Not too many details had been released, but word had reached you on fights between the district dwellers and peacekeepers cracking down for every possible offense. 

“Fucking shoot me already, all of this is such bullshit.”

“Chill out, Johanna.”

“What! Snow is pushing this wedding crap so much while the districts are going to shit.”

“Finnick?”

All of you turn to face the newcomer at the door, you didn’t recognize her but that didn’t mean much. Finnick shoots the newcomer a quick smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

“I’ll be right along darling, let me wrap things up here.”

The woman shuts the door.

“Stay safe,” Finnick directs at you. “Stay out of trouble, Johanna.”

Nodding, you watch him walk out the door, murmuring softly to the woman on the other side.

“Duty calls,” you softly say to Johanna before making your own way to the door.  
\---  
The phone is ringing in the background. Nausea is tearing you a part. Your mother is in the chair holding her face in her hands. You were supposed to be safe. The words of the tv are is still playing in your head. Your fingers are busy playing with the hem of your shirt.  
\---  
“As all of you know this year is our 75th hunger games and our third quarter quell. As with all quarter quell there are special circumstances that our forefathers set up to remind us of why we have the hunger games,” President Snows voice across clearly on the screen.

“So, without further ado, this year’s quarter quell involves one tribute male or female being picked from each district. “

You feel your heart begin to pound.

“Along with these twelve tributes, twelve victors will be picked to partner up with one of these twelve tributes.”

Your mother gasps.

“We will be picking from victors of the last twenty years of hunger games, as a reminder that even the strongest amongst tributes are no match for the capitol. Also, there will be no volunteering from our group of beloved victors. Once your name is drawn, that is it.”

President Snow smiles at the cameras flashing at him, his white hair coiffed perfectly, along with his signature white rose in his breast pocket. 

“Lastly, we will be allowing two winners from this hunger games like last year. Happy hunger games and may the odds ever be in your favor.”

Voices of reporters can be heard through the speakers on the tv before the screen switches to Ceasar.  
\---  
“Well, what a turn of events. I must say this quarter quell is looking to be quite the shocker. How do you think our victors are feeling at this moment, Claudius?”

“Well, Ceasar, I imagine most of them are feeling quite shocked at the moment and…”

You shut the tv off.

The phone is still ringing. Feeling numb you walk over to answer it.

“Did you watch the news?”

“Yeah, Finnick, I saw the news.”

“Annie could be…” his voice trails off. 

“I know.”

“This is a mess.”

“I know.”

“We’ll talk more at the capitol,” the line goes dead.

You want to throw up. You don’t know how to feel. You sit down in the chair while your mother stays crying in the background.

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Another authors note! OMG what ever shall you do. So I know I cut out al the juicy parts of the 74th hunger games but i felt it repetetive to just rewrite it when the story isn't meant to be about katniss and peeta. So, I did time skips and just added some stuff. Right now I'm starting to flesh the story out and see if anyone was even interested in reading it. Chapters probably will vary in length, but I'm planning on wrapping this sucker up within 10 to 15 chapters or less. Anywho, I hope you enjoyed and until the next chapter XD


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